Inside the Chalk

The New York Yankees better be sleeping with one eye open. The Tampa Bay Rays are getting healthy and playing really good ball, and that comfortable lead in the AL East isn’t so comfortable any more for the Bombers. With that said, the Rays will host the Kansas City Royals in the second game of their 4-game set tonight in St. Pete. The Rays came through yesterday with a 7-1 win over the Royals. Expect more of the same tonight. Lefty Shane McClanahan will get the nod for the Rays and he delivers. Sugar Shane is 11-5 with an ERA of only 2.28 and a 0.86 WHIP. Brady Singer will take the hill for the Royals. He has good numbers, at 6-4, with a 3.29 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP, but in his career against the Rays, Singer is 0-1 with a bloated ERA of 7.27. Tampa smells blood.
TONIGHT’S PICK: TAMPA BAY RAYS

The New York Yankees got back on track last night with Josh Donaldson’s granny in the 10th to lift them over the Tampa Bay Rays, 8-7, at The Stadium. The Yankees will open a 3-game set tonight on River Ave. against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Bombers have owned the Jays this year, winning 8 of their 12 meetings, and will have Frankie Montas on the hill. He is 4-9 with a 3.60 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. The Jays will counter with José Berríos, who is 8-5 with an elevated ERA of 5.61 and a 1.39 WHIP. Toronto is upside-down on the road, at 26-29, and 1-4 in their last 5 trips to the Bronx.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The St. Louis Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers will play the rubber game of their 3-game set in an early one today at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals have a slim 1/2 game lead over the Brewers for the top spot in the NL Central so this is a pivotal game for both. The Cardinals are 7-3 over their last 10 and are expected to turn to Miles Mikolas to throw strikes. Mikolas is 8-9 with a 3.50 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. The Brewers are 4-6 over their last 10 and are expected to give the nod to Aaron Ashby. His numbers are not good. Ashby is 2-10 with a 4.32 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. The Cards always play well at home, with a record of 36-21, and should come out on top today.
TODAY’S PICK: ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

The New York Yankees found a way to lose again, blowing a 2-1 lead going into the ninth against the Boston Red Sox, falling to their rival, 3-2, in extras. The Yankees, who at one time seemed invincible, have now lost 3 straight and 8 of their last 9 but that won’t last. The Bombers are still in first place in the AL East with a commanding 10 game lead over Toronto and Boston sits dead last, 15.5 games back. Tonight in the second game of their 3-game set at Fenway, the Yanks are expected to send newly acquired Frankie Montas to the hill. Montas did not look sharp in his last turn but still has good stuff. He is 4-9 with a 3.59 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP, but keep in mind, he was with Oakland, one of the worst teams in baseball. Boston is expected to send Kutter Crawford to the hill. He is 3-4 with a 4.30 ERA and a WHIP of 1.23. The Yanks should be able to get to him. New York is still 30-27 on the road and 6-5 this year against Boston. The Bombers get back on track tonight.
TONIGHT’S PICK: NEW YORK YANKEES

The San Diego Padres will take a two game winning streak into DC tonight for a 3-game series with the Washington Nationals. It could be a long night for the Nats, who own the worst record in baseball at 37-76. Cory Abbott is the expected starter for Washington. He will have to face his old teammates, Juan Soto and Josh Bell, for the first time and they are both due for a big night. Abbott is 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. The 63-51 Padres are expected to give the nod to Mike Clevinger and he is starting to pitch like the ace he was when he took the mound for Cleveland. Clevinger is 3-4 with a respectable 3.60 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. The Friars are 9-1 in their last 10 games following a day off and 5-2 in their last 7 in Washington.
TONIGHT’S PICK: SAN DIEGO PADRES